Elastic fluid turbine



Jan. 14, 1930. R. H. coLLlNGHAM ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE Filed March 25, 1927 inf/0i ..00 wf@ d u C A H. s t H r e .D O RU .D

Patented Jan. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE g i ROBERT H. COLLINGHAM, OF RUGBY, ENGrLAND,` ASSIGNOR TOGENERAL ELECTRIC COM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK i i i ELASTTO FLUID TURBINE Application led March 25, 1927, Serial No. 178,455, and in GreatBritain April 27, 1926.

' 5 turbines as hitherto constructed have been divided into separate high pressure and low pressure' units arranged side by side each unit being directly coupled to an alternating current generator and the separate alternators being electrically connected or interlocked. The elastic fluid ends of the units are connected together by piping and in such machines there is always a considerable drop in pressure between the casings.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction and 'arrangement in a turbine of the above referred to type wherein the pressure drop between the respective casings of the turbine is eliminated or at least decreased to a considerable extent so as thereby to increase the etliciency of the installation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction which obviates to a considerable extent` expansion troubles.

A further object of t-he invention is to pro vide an improved construction and arrangement which may be constructed at comparatively low cost and which is compact so that it is-economical of floor space.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

lu the drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a diagrammatic character' illustrating an arrangement embodying the invention, and Fig. 2 is an elevation looking toward the admission end of one ot the lower pressure turbine units.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents the rotor oi the high pressure turbine contained in the casing 2. The shaft 3 of rotor 1 is carried in suitable bearings and is connected by a suitable coupling to the rotor of an alternator 4i. 5 and 6 indicate the rotors of lower pressure turbines contained in casings 7 and 8 respectively.

The exhaust end of the high pressure turbine is formed by the inlet ends of the casings 7 and 8 of ythe two lower pressure turbines which turbines receive the exhaust in parallel from the high pressure turbine.

The structure forming the exhaust end of the high pressure turbine and the inlet ends oi'- the passages 12, between which the elastic fluid is divided. V13 indicates strengthening webs in passages 12. Passages 12 are shaped to convey the elastic fluid Jfrom chamber `l0 to the chambers 11 ,with minimumdrop in pressure.

In this connection itfwill `be noted that thev passages are comparatively short and receive the elastic tluid from around the entire ciry cumference of the annular chamber 10. The two passages may ybe,with advantage, substantially U-shaped.

The rotors 5l and 6 of the low pressure tur# bines maybe mounted on separate shafts and arranged to be coupled to separate alternatorsor they may be connected together and drive a single alternator. In the present instance, the latter arrangement is shown, the

two shafts being connected together by a coupling as indicated at 14, both rotors driving the alternator 15. rlhe exhaust housings 16 of the low pressure turbines are connected directly to suitable condensers 17.

The high pressure turbine has its shaft 3 located at a right angle to the shafts of rotors 5 and of the lower pressure turbines. This arrangement is ot substantial advantage in that it enables the low pressure end of the high pressure Vturbine to be brought up close to the high pressure ends of the lower pressure turbines so that such ends may merge directly into each other. Also, the arrangement has the advantage that it serves to reduce to a minimum the floor space required by the installation. 1n this connection, it will be understood that a high pressure turbine such as that indicated in the drawing, in actual practice, becomes relatively small in size particularly where elastic fluid of a pres-V sure higher than those ordinarily in use today is utilized. y

Elastic fluid issupplied` to the inlet end of roi) v-hand valve 18 is shown asbeing arranged in conduit 19. Y f

In the exhaust end of the high pressure turbine unit the elastic fluid passes in parallel to the two lower pressure units and af ter passing through the lower pressure units it is discharged through exhaust conduits 16 l to the condenser 17. The high pressure unit and the lower pressure units may rotate at vthe same speed or they may rotate at compler'nentary speeds, the arrangement being such that the cycles of the alternators driven by them will coincide so that the alternators may be electrically interlocked vas is required usually in connection with turbine installations of this type. As one example, the high pressure rotor may rotate at 3000 revolutionsv per minute and drive a two-pole alternator so as to 'generatela O-cycle current while the low pressure rotors may operate at 1500 revolutions per minute and be 'connected to a 4- 1 polealter'nator so that it will deliver also a 50`cycle current. p A

,'A-const'ruction 'of the above referred type is' well adapted to have the `elastic fluid reheated at an yintermediate point especially at a point between the higher pressure turbine unit andthe two lower pressure units. 'Io this end, I may with advantage provide lsuitable heating means in connection with the annular'chambers 10 and 11`and the passages 12. For example, there may be provided in the passages nests of tubes ofy suitable shape. For example, substantially U-shaped nests of'tub'es may be arranged in the U-shaped passages 12, and through which a suitable heating medium may be circulated. For example, flue gases may be circulated through such tubes or highly superheated live steam may becirc'ulated through such tubes. In the latter case, the elastic fluid circulatedthrough the nests of tubes may be returned to the boiler or, after circulating through the' nests ofv tubes, it may be admitted directly to the high pressure turbine or to the lower ressure turbines. matically nests of tubes arranged in passages 12.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is 1. 'elastic fluid turbine comprising a f higher pressure unit and two lower 'pressure units, said lowerfpressure units being arranged in axial alignment with their admission ends adjacent to each other and said higher pressure unit being arranged at an angle to the lower pressure units and with its In Fig. 1, 20 indicates iagramexhaust end adjacent and connected directly to the admission ends of the lower pressure units.

2. An elasticffluid turbine comprising a vhigher pressure unit and two lower pressure units, said lower pressure units being arranged in axial alignment with their admission ends adjacent to each other and said higher pressure unit being arranged at an angle. to the lower pressure units and with its exhaust end adjacent to the admission ends of the lower pressure units, the exhaust end of thehigher pressure unit merging into and forming the admissionendsof .the lower pressure units.

3. An elastic fluid turbine comprising a pair of lower pressure units arranged'with their fluid receiving ends adjacent and facing each other and their rotors arranged in the same axial plane, a higher pressure unit 65 arrangedat an angle to the lower pressure units,v and a housing which mechanically unites the exhaust end of the higher pressure unit with the inlets of the two; lowerpressure units and through which they exhaustf.

fluid from the higher pressure unit flows in multiple to the lower' pressure units. l

4. An elastic fluid turbine comprising` a pair of lower pressure units arranged end to end with-their inlets facingeach other and their rotors arranged in the same axial plane, a higher pressure unit arranged at substan- AYtially a right angle thereto, 'the axis of' its rotor being in substantially theV same :horizontal plane as the axes of the lower pressure units, and a housing comprising an annular member which unites the three units, receives the exhaust from the higher pressure unit anddischarges it in multiple to the two'lower pressure units.

5. An elastic fluid turbine comprising a higher pressure turbine kunit and a 'plurality of lower pressure turbine units arranged 'in separate casings and with their admission ends adjacent to each other, a housing which is located at the exhaust end of the higher pressure unit, is connected to the inlets of said lower pressure units and contains vsubstantially U-shaped passages which convey exhaust fluid from thev unit of higher pressure tothe other and exhaust fluid heating means arranged insaid U-shaped passages.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of March, 1927.

ROBERT H. COLLINGHAM.

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